Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Diogenes, the biographer of the Greek philosophers, known as a cynic and skeptic, reportedly had the following conversation with Alexander the Great:

Diogenes asked Alexander what his plans were. Alexander responded that he planned to conquer and subjugate Greece.

"Then what," Diogenes asked.

Alexander answered that he planned to conquer and subjugate Asia minor.

"And then?"

Alexander said that he planned to conquer and subjugate, the world.

Diogenes who was not easily dissuaded from a line of inquiry, posed the question again, "And what next?"

Alexander the Great told Diogenes that after he had finished conquering and subjugating, he planned to relax and enjoy himself.

Diogenes responded, "Why not save yourself a lot of trouble by relaxing and enjoying yourself now?"

The mind is not designed to know everything. Skepticism, is the idea of saying, "I don't know everything and that's okay." Socrates said, he knew more than anyone else, because he knew he didn't know anything.